Workman&#39;s Glove

ABSTRACT

A glove is provided which may be adapted for use by a workman performing a variety of tasks such as sanding, buffing, polishing, waxing, scrubbing, cleaning, and drying, among others. In particular, it includes the typical features of a glove, such as palm, finger, and thumb compartments. It is additionally fitted with means for releasably securing a plurality of textured pads to the palmer surface of each compartment, and the texture of the pads may be chosen according to the workman&#39;s task at hand. The textured pads may also be placed in a particular manner on the surface of the glove so that a workman&#39;s dexterity and fine motor capabilities are not impeded during work. Moreover, prescribed arrangements may ensure that a workman is capable of optionally removing and replacing the textured pads on the surface of the glove without having to remove his hand from the glove itself.

GOVERNMENT CONTRACT

Not applicable.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

STATEMENT RE. FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK NOTICES

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. This patent document may show and/or describe matter which is or may become trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights and trade dress rights whatsoever.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed subject matter relates to the field of workmen's gloves. More particularly, this invention in certain embodiments relates to a versatile glove which may be adapted to releasably secure one or more textured pads to its outer body in a variety of configurations in order to facilitate work done by hand on a plurality of surfaces.

BACKGROUND

Workmen typically use a variety of electronically powered tools and other devices to facilitate activities that require them to manipulate material. This is often the case in the field of construction, for example, where a workman may be called upon to manipulate wood, metal, glass, and other materials. More particularly, a workman may find himself tasked with sanding and finishing projects associated with wood working.

While electronically powered devices have proven helpful in facilitating the work process, it is well recognized in the art that working by hand provides workmen with better control over the manipulation of these materials and may also allow them to access difficult to reach areas inaccessible to cumbersome electronic devices.

Skilled workmen with the manual dexterity to tackle this type of labor may be aided by a variety of trade tools designed to alleviate some of the difficulties associated therewith. For example, power sanding devices have been a popular means of facilitating such jobs. However, despite the fact that such electronically powered tools are available, a workman must almost invariably be prepared to hand-sand any object in order to retain detailed lines and ensure the contours are smooth while avoiding scratches to the wood.

Some solutions to this problem have been suggested. Tools of the trade include, for example, sanding blocks, sanding sticks, sanding pads, and individual sheets of sandpaper. When such tools are unavailable though, some workmen engaging in these tasks must form their own tools to perform their work. Indeed, many have been improvised and employed as a matter of necessity to make do during the course of work in the field. For example, some workmen form sheets of sandpaper into various shapes so that they may be used to reach inaccessible areas. Although this may allow a workman to avoid damaging fine details in the objects they are working on, the method may be imprecise and difficult to replicate as a result of its improvised nature. Moreover, each of these solutions may additionally cause unnecessary strain on the workman's hands and fingers owing to the fact that they do not accommodate the natural shape and motion of their own hands.

Several types of gloves coated with abrasive materials have also been proposed. In some, an abrasive such as sandpaper may be permanently affixed to the glove. One particular shortcoming in this solution, however, is that a new pair must be purchased each time the affixed abrasive material begins to dull, making them expensive for consumers. Furthermore, the fact that the abrasive material is permanently affixed to the gloves necessarily limits their use to the particular purpose suited to the abrasive provided. As such, a workman must remove the gloves each time he wishes to engage in another type of activity, and even further, he must buy and keep accessible multiple pairs of gloves that are each related to the activities he plans to perform.

A variety of references comprising gloves are disclosed herein. As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a workman's glove that has interchangeable disposable pads for use with wood, metal, glass, and other materials. Moreover, various mechanisms have been devised to provide for attachment of different textured materials to the gloves using hook and loop fasteners and the like. However, existing designs have not been met with commercial acceptance.

In one design, for example, the hook and loop fastening materials cover an entire palm side of a mitten style glove. In such a style, the workman's dexterity may be undesirably limited by containing all of his available fingers within the same space of the glove. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,178 to Hoover discloses a sanding glove comprising a hook fastener material for carrying loop-backed sanding pads. This design is deficient, however, because it does not have a plurality of different textured pads, and such pads are not removably attached to every finger compartment and the palm of the glove. Moreover, its use is directed in a limited fashion to sanding tasks alone.

U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2006/0230559 filed by Knopow et cal. discloses a fabric cleaning mitt comprising a plurality of removable cleaning sheets, a carrier configured to mate with attachment pads via hook and loop or snap fastening mechanisms, wherein the pads can be flipped over and kept on the backside of the mitt and made of nylon, rubber, or thermoplastic elastomers. However, among other deficiencies, the mitt lacks the finger compartments necessary for workmen performing detailed work on a plurality of surfaces and the interchangeable strips which eliminate the need to have multiple pairs of work gloves for different tasks.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,234 to Jackson discloses a cleaning system comprising a glove, a wash cloth assembly, a buffer cloth assembly, and size hook and file scrubber fastening sections for attaching the wash and buffer cloths. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,529 to Meyer discloses adherent wipes affixed to gloves comprising gauze, sponge or abrasive pads, the pads have a band that are attached to a glove by hook and loop or snap fasteners, and wherein the pad is attached to the back of the glove.

In some designs, each of the four fingers and thumb comprise a single strip of fastening material covering the entire length of the digit. However, such use of hook and loop fasteners impedes the wearer's ability to flex his finger easily to facilitate dexterity and natural manipulation of objects. This also makes it more difficult for the workman who needs to remove the mating material without taking off their gloves first.

Accordingly, there remains a need for a workman's glove that may be used for a variety of different tasks required when working with materials such as wood, metal, glass, and others in situations where the workman needs to access hard-to-reach areas. The disclosed workman's gloves achieves these needs.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus that enables a workman to perform a variety of different tasks on a variety of different surfaces without having to change gloves in between. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a workman's glove and a plurality of interchangeable, textured pads which may be releasably secured to the palm and finger portions of the glove provided. The textured pads may include abrasive pads, waxing pads, wiping pads, drying pads, buffing pads, sanding pads, scrubbing pads, and polishing pads.

Each individual glove comprises a body for receiving a user's entire hand. The glove body further comprises a palm compartment, a plurality of finger compartments, and a thumb compartment. The finger compartments and the thumb compartments extend from the palm portion forming a continuous inner surface that surrounds an inserted hand.

All of the textured pads may be disposable and may further be made of a variety of flexible or semi-rigid materials. Examples of such materials may include microfiber for cleaning or sandpaper for sanding. The glove body itself may also be made of a variety of versatile materials such as natural or synthetic leather, canvas, cotton or polyester blended chore, and/or other synthetic or natural materials, or a combination of the same, typically associated with workmen's gloves and depending on the particular needs of the workman.

In one embodiment, the workman's glove comprises a glove body, a plurality of textured pads releasably securable to the glove body, and a means for releasably securing the textured pads to the glove body. The means for releasable engagement of a plurality of different textured pads are positioned in specific areas on the outer surface of the glove body. These means for releasable attachment are positioned in particular areas to facilitate use of the textured pads without impeding the wearer's ability to make fine movements with their fingers and hands.

The means for releasable securement to the glove body are permanently affixed to the glove body while corresponding coupling portions are permanently attached to the textured pads. By way of example, and not limitation, one embodiment of the means for releasable securement and coupling portions may comprise a plurality of hook and loop fasteners. In another embodiment, the means for releasable securement may comprise a plurality of snap buttons. In yet another embodiment, the means for releasable securement may include a wet or dry adhesive material.

Each of the textured pads are releasably securable to a respective finger compartment at two points: one proximal to the palm portion of the glove body and one distal to the palm portion of the glove body. This allows secure coupling of the glove and each textured pad while avoiding limiting the movement, available use, and range of motion for the user's fingers. Coupling the glove and textured pads at particular points on or around any of the three joints between the palm and the distal tip of each finger is avoided. This is because such placement stiffens the area of the glove required by the workmen to make precise movements and interferes with doing work on ornate or otherwise detailed surfaces.

Releasably securing the textured pads as prescribed also facilitates replacement of the textured pads. By providing two or more points of attachment spaced with at least one joint located between, the wearer may optionally slacken a textured pad in its releasably secured position by flexing his finger. Thus, the wearer can remove a textured pad from a glove without removing the glove from his hand. This is accomplished by using their opposite gloved hand, sticking a finger underneath the slackened portion of the textured pad, and pulling the pad away from the glove.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a single glove that will enable its wearer to quickly and easily adjust it for work on a variety of different surfaces.

Another object is to provide a glove that includes a plurality of flexible pads for working on a variety of different surfaces.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of textured pads that releasably connect to a workman's glove.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a workman's glove that allows the wearer a wide range of motion ideal for working on detailed surfaces.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a workman's glove which is reusable and washable.

Although the description that follows contains specific details regarding the present invention, none should be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but as merely providing illustrations of some of several embodiments. Thus the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the claims that are appended and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosed embodiments may be better understood by referring to the figures in the attached drawings, as provided below. The attached figures are provided as non-limiting examples for providing an enabling description of the invention claimed. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered as limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates the outer, dorsal surfaces of an exemplary left-hand and right-hand glove.

FIG. 2 illustrates the outer, palmer surface of an exemplary right-hand glove before any textured pads have been releasably secured to the outer, palmer surface of the glove.

FIG. 3 illustrates the outer, palmer surface of an exemplary right-hand glove including releasably secured textured pads.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method of removing any releasably secured textured pads from the palmer surface of a glove.

Features, elements, and aspects of the invention that are referenced by the same numerals in different figures represent the same, equivalent, or similar features, elements, or aspects, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The prescribed arrangements described herein with regards to the workman's glove enables a workman to perform a variety of different tasks on a variety of different surfaces while maintaining the same gloves on his hands throughout. That is, he need not remove his gloves between uses or when changing tasks. In some respects, this ensures that his hands remain protected from any potentially injurious aspects of his work, while also avoiding lost time associated with repeatedly removing and replacing the gloves from his hands, waste of space associated with carrying multiple pairs of gloves for different purposes, and any costs associated with purchasing numerous gloves for use on different projects.

An exemplary form and view of the workman's glove is shown in FIG. 1. The glove may be provided as one of a pair, thus a left-hand glove 10 a and a right-hand glove 10 b are illustrated. Here, each paired glove is shown with its outer dorsal side exposed and with the outer palmer side of each glove facing into the paper surface of the illustration. Each exemplary glove moreover includes a body having a palm compartment 12, a plurality of finger compartments 14 and a thumb compartment 16. In combination, the compartments 12, 14, 16 form a continuous inner surface formed to receive an entire human hand via a typical wrist-sized opening 18. Furthermore, the glove body may also be made of a variety of versatile materials such as leather, canvas, and other natural, synthetic, and/or mixed materials known in the art to be used in making gloves.

More particularly, FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary form of the right-hand glove 10 b with its outer palmer side and exemplary means for releasably securing textured pads exposed. Of course, it should be understood that each feature shown on the right-hand glove may also be included on a left-hand glove; the left-hand glove is excluded in the following figures in order to more succinctly illustrate several embodiments of the workman's glove without undue repetition.

A plurality of means for releasably securing the textured pads to the glove body may be provided. For example, a means for securing a textured pad to the palm compartment 22 of the workman's glove may be included. Additionally, means for releasably securing textured pads to the finger compartments 24 a, 24 b, and the thumb compartment 26 a, 26 b may be included.

All of the plurality of means for releasably securing a plurality of different textured pads may be positioned in specific areas on the outer surface of the glove body in order to facilitate use of the textured pads without impeding the wearer's ability to make fine movements with their fingers and hands. Thus, in one exemplary embodiment, the means for releasably securing any textured pads to the palm compartment 22 may be attached to the glove at a region corresponding to the metacarpal bones of a human hand. In this embodiment, the joints associated with a user's proximal phalange, meta carpal, and carpal skeletal structure may be avoided so that his joints may still be optionally and naturally bent while he is wearing the gloves. As such, a wearer may maintain the ability to cup his hand or otherwise curl his fingers around an object. Moreover, stiffness in the hand may be avoided, and dexterity may be preserved.

Similarly, the means for releasably securing any textured pads to the finger compartments 24 a, 24 b may be positioned to avoid the joints associated with a user's distal, intermediate, and proximal phalanges. Thus, in one embodiment, the means for releasably securing any textured pads to the finger compartments may be attached to the glove at two points: one distal to the palm compartment of the glove 24 a, and one proximal to the palm compartment of the glove 24 b. The same is true of the thumb compartment, which may also include a means for releasably securing a textured pad to the glove that is distal to the palm compartment 26 a, and one that is proximal to the palm compartment 26 b. This particular arrangement securely coupling the workman's glove and textured pads while preserving dexterity and avoiding interruption of any desired range of motion of the user's fingers. Indeed, a user may maintain the ability to curl his fist, or otherwise bend his fingers while wearing the glove with textured pads attached.

The means for releasably securing any of the textured pads 22, 24 a, 24 b, 26 a, 26 b to the glove may be permanently attached to the outer palmer surface of the glove, while the textured pads, discussed in further detail with reference to FIG. 3 below, may be equipped on one side with respective coupling material. By way of example, and not limitation, one embodiment of the means for releasable attachment may comprise a plurality of hook and loop fasteners. In another embodiment, the releasable attachment means may comprise a plurality of snap buttons. In yet another embodiment, the releasable securement means may comprise a dry adhesive or a wet adhesive. Although examples are provided, it is contemplated that any means capable of repeated attachment and detachment may be used.

The means for releasably securing any of the textured pads may be permanently attached to the glove in a variety of ways. In an exemplary embodiment, the means may be sewn on to the body of the glove. In another embodiment, the means may be permanently attached to the body of the glove using an\ dry, wet, or heat-sensitive glue adhesive. It is to be understood that these examples are provided to illustrate, rather than limit, the method of permanently attaching said means.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a right hand glove 10 b is shown with a plurality of textured pads 32, 34, 36 coupled to the glove by way of the means for releasably securing them, particular means discussed above. In particular, a pad corresponding to the palm compartment 32, a plurality of finger pads 34, and a thumb pad 36 are shown coupled to the outer palmer surface of the workman's glove.

With reference drawn to the thumb compartment of the glove in particular, it may be seen that the pad 36, as is true of all of the provided pads, has a top side and a bottom side. The top, exposed side of thumb pad 36 features the textured material needed to perform the job at hand, while the bottom features a coupling portion 37 that is releasably securable to the respective means for releasably securing the textured pads to the glove.

In an exemplary embodiment, the bottom coupling portion 37 of the textured pad 36, and any other such textured pads, may be permanently adhered to an underside of any exposed material chosen to serve as the textured pads. Various embodiments may optionally include materials adapted for use as abrasive pads, waxing pads, wiping pads, drying pads, buffing pads, sanding pads, scrubbing pads, and/or polishing pads. Such pads may moreover be suitable for use on a variety of different surfaces such as wood, metal, glass, and other natural and synthetic materials. Of course, it is contemplated that a user may select and releasably secure the type of pad appropriate for his task at hand. In particular, such pads may be made of various flexible and semi-rigid materials such as microfiber for cleaning or sandpaper for sanding. The fact that the chosen materials exhibit some level of flexibility may ensure that a user's dexterity and range of hand motion is not significantly impeded by the incorporation of the textured pads on the outer palmer surface of the glove.

Thus in one, non-limiting embodiment, a pad including a gritty material typically associated with sandpaper well-known in the art may be provided. In another embodiment, the exposed portion of the pad may feature microfiber cloth material known in the art to absorb material. In still another embodiment, the exposed portion of the pad may feature soft animal skin known in the art to buff metals and other surfaces. In other embodiments, the exposed portion of the plurality of pads may feature materials made from wood, leather, canvas, cotton cloth, plastic, felt, paper, sheepskin, impregnated rubber, canvas composition, wool, aluminum abrasives, silicon carbide abrasives, or even a combination of the same. Of course, this list is non-exhaustive and should be read as a non limiting sample of the types of materials available for use with the workman's glove.

With respect to a workman's glove adapted for the purpose of sanding in particular, the plurality of textured pads may comprise any material typically adapted for the purpose of sanding. Thus for example, the plurality of textured pads may comprise thin sheets featuring a coarse grain on the bottom side. The coarseness of the grain may even vary depending on the work intended by the workman. Thus, for work requiring heavy sanding and little detail, the grain on the bottom side of the plurality of textured pads may be about 1000 grit. Similarly, for work requiring attention to detail and fine adjustments, the grain on the bottom side of the plurality of textured pads may be fine, or about 60 grit. Of course, the grain may be more or less coarse, or even comprise a coarseness in between the measures given, depending on the particular needs of the workman for his given project.

The plurality of textured pads may also be disposable after one use, or alternatively, may be adapted to withstand the stress of many uses, again depending on the particular needs of the user.

Owing to the particular placement of each means for releasably securing the textured pads to the glove, removal of each textured pad is simplified over prior designs. Referring now to FIG. 4, by placing the means for releasably securing the textured pads to the glove at two points of attachment spaced with at least one joint in between them, the wearer may create slack in the pad 38 by flexing their finger. Thus, the wearer can remove a textured pad from a glove while avoiding the need to remove the glove from their hand by using their opposite gloved hand, sticking a finger underneath the slack 38, or otherwise pulling on the slacked portion, and pulling the textured pad away from the glove.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications are contemplated and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it is contemplated that a wearer may choose to wear one or both gloves according to his or her needs. The nature of the work done by the workman may require protection from splintering, burning, cutting, or any other injuries associated with workmanship, and thus a glove for each hand may be desired. Other activities may carry a low risk of injury and so a workman may choose to glove only the hand intended for sanding, buffing, wiping, drying, or any other use for the glove. In other instances, it is contemplated that a user employ the workman's glove in combination with certain compounds known in the art for certain handworking tasks. For example, a user may choose to use a metal polishing compound in combination with a plurality of releasably securable textured pads adapted to polish metals. A user might alternatively choose to apply soap, oil, or other compounds known in the art as cleaning compounds in combination with a plurality of releasably securable textured pads adapted to scrub various surfaces. These and other options are available all the while comprising the properties of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited, except as by the appended claim(s).

The teachings disclosed herein may be applied to other goods, and may not necessarily be limited to those described herein. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention.

Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being refined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the workman's glove with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be constructed to limit the apparatus to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification unless the above description section explicitly define such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the disclosed apparatus. The above description of embodiments of the workman's glove is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the precise form disclosed above or to a particular field of usage. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the apparatus are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible for which those skilled in the relevant art will recognize.

While certain aspects of the workman's glove disclosed are presented below in particular claim forms, various aspects of the apparatus are contemplated in any number of claim forms. Thus, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the workman's glove 

What is claimed is:
 1. A glove for a human hand comprising: a body having a palmer side and a dorsal side, the body comprising a palm compartment, a thumb compartment, and a plurality of finger compartments, wherein each of the thumb and finger compartments extend from the palm compartment, and the compartments are together configured to define a continuous inner surface to receive a hand; one or more textured pads releasably securable to the outer palmer side of the palm compartment; a plurality of additional textured pads that individually correspond to the outer palmer side of one each of the thumb and finger compartments and that are releasably securable to their respective thumb or finger compartments on at least one point distal and at least one point proximate to the palm compartment; and a means for releasably securing each of the textured pads to their respective points on the palm, thumb, and finger compartments.
 2. The glove of claim 1, wherein the means for releasably securing the plurality of textured pads comprises hook and loop fasteners.
 3. The glove of claim 1, wherein the textured pads comprise a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side releasably securable to the means for releasably securing each of the textured pads.
 4. The glove of claim 3, wherein the bottom side comprises hook and loop fasteners.
 5. The glove of claim 3, wherein the top side of the textured pads comprises material chosen from wood, leather, canvas, cotton cloth, plastic, felt, paper, sheepskin, impregnated rubber, canvas composition, wool, aluminum abrasives, silicon carbide abrasives, or a combination of the same.
 6. The glove of claim 5, wherein the chosen material is adapted to polish, sand, clean, scrub, dry, buff, wax, and/or absorb additional material of or on a chosen surface.
 7. The glove of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the glove comprises a resilient material capable of withstanding the stress of repeated use.
 8. The glove of claim 6, wherein the resilient material comprises natural or synthetic leather, canvas, cotton or polyester blended chore, or a combination of the same.
 9. The glove of claim 1, wherein the plurality of textured pads are adapted for a single use.
 10. The glove of claim 1, wherein the plurality of textured pads are adapted for multiple uses over time. 